Electric accumulator system



(No Model.) I Y 2 Shets-Sheet 2. H. B. 00X. ELECTRIC ACUMULATOR SYSTEM.

'Patented June 29,1897.

UNITED STATES HARRY BARBINGER COX, OF HARTFORD, CONNEC' 1ICUT.

ELECTRIC ACCU M U LATOR SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,620, dated June 29, 1897. Application tiled November 10, 1893. Renewed November 7, 1,896. Serial No. 611,428. (No model.)

l'b rL/Z u'mm, it may (foncer/t:

Beit known that I, HARRY BARRINGER COX,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Accumulator Systems; and I do hereby declare that the followingl is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, which will enable others s'lllled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and tothe letters and gures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to a system for eharging accumula-tors.

It is well known to those skilled in the art that thermo-batteries as at present known can be made to produce a high volume of current-,but comparatively low voltage in a more compact form and with a higher fuel eiiiciency than can high-voltage machines be made.

It is generally the custom by any system to charge a number of accumulators by coupling them together in series and connecting them with the generator. This plan requires a generator of greater' voltage than the combined voltage of the accumulators.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved system for charging a plurality of accumulators from a generatorof lower voltage than thevoltage of theaccumula-tor plant by successively placing one or more of the accumulator-cells in circuit with the generator for a predetermined period of time, so that the current from the generator is concentrated in an accumulator-cell or a relatively small group of the accumulator plant for a certain period of time, and soon, until the required accumulator plant is charged, although, perhaps, the voltage of the entire plant may be many times that of the generator employed.

VThe invention consists in the system and method hereinafter more fully described and particularly set forth.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l illustrates, diagrammatically, the simplest form for carrying out my invention, illustrating the manner of connecting the parts. Fig. 2 shows, diagrammatically, the improved system with the time switch or distribu ter shown,diagrammatically, in perspective, the actuating means therefor being shown in plan.

Referring to the drawings, 2 indicates a, thermo-electric generator which I preferably employin carryingout my inventiomalthough I do not Wish to limit myself to suclr a generator of electric energy.

a indicates a battery or plant of secondary, storage, or accumulator batteries or cells v'hich are connected inl series in the main or working circuit 7.

5'6 indicate, respectively, the connecting# wires of the system. The connections 5 and 6 are, respectively, electrically connected with the movable contacts 3 and 4.

A pair of stationary contact-,points b b' are- 'respectively electrically connected with the positive and negative poles ot' an accumulator-cell, and each accumulator-cell is provided with such a pair of contact-points.

In Fig. l'the contact-plates ZJ b of each pair are arranged side by side, and the pairs of said plates are arranged in parallel rows, as shown, and the plates of each pair are respectively connected with the opposite poles of their accumulator by connections 8 and 9. In this View the positive plates are shown connected by wires 10 through the negative plate and wires 9 of the next adjacent pair, so that one wire 0 serves to connect to two accumulators. In this view each accumulatorv a is intended to indicate a single accumulatorcell or'a group of cells, or, in other words, such a number of cells as it is desired to place in circuit with the generator at one time. will thus be seen that each pair of plates represent the terminals of an accumulator composed of one or more cells. The voltage of the generatingplant may not be in itself sut'- icient for the lighting of one lamp, so that it is the object of this system to concentrate the current from the generator in each accumulater for a certain period of time, so that the combined voltage accumulated in all of the accumulators will be sufficient to light a number of lamps in the working circuit 7. To this end the contacts 3 and @t turn into electrical engagement with'the contacts `b b', so that the current .from the generator passes through Wire 5, contacts 3 and b, connection 8, the accumulator,l wire 9, connections b and Itv IOO

v set of contacts hb', thereby throwing the first ,accumulator out of circuit with the generator lo and placing the second accumulator in cir- 4, and wire 6l back to the generator. The movable contacts 3 and 4 remain on said sta'- tionary'contactsb b for a length of time sufficientto properly charge the accumulator When this period of time expires, these contacts move connected with said points b b.

trical engagement withthe ring or disk 11. The opposite pole of the generator is\ con electrical engagement with the ring or. disk 12. closed fromA the generator through the wire from the rst set of contacts hb tothe second 5,` brush 14,-disk 11, wire 16, brush 3, and

cuit with the generator.vv

cumulator back through the 'particular corresponding metallic block -h',`brush 4, wire 15, disk 12, brushl, andwirc ti to the gen- The movableucontaets remain on eaclipair- "crater:

of. stationarycontacts the same period of ,tin1e,'so that each accumulator is in circuit with thegenerat-orfor the 'same period of time and all of the accumulators are charged equally.

In carrying out my invention for practical use any suitable mechanism is provided to automatically, move the contacts 3 and 4 from one pair of accumulator-contacts to thenext, and so on, permitting each accumulator to remain in circuit with the generator vfor a predetermined period of time.

' I do not vwish to limit myself to any particu` lar construction of timedistributing or switch. ,'t mechanism, and the mechanism herein described is merely intended to illustrate aform that can be employed, as clock mechanismlor any source of power can be employed to move the contacts 3 and 4, or electromagnetic mechanism can be employed for the same pur- I pose.

. In Fig. 2 I show a mechanism'i'fornlltd'.A matically distributing the electrical energy i from the geneiatorto each accumulator for 1 a specified and predetermined period of time, or, in other words, what might be termed a time-switch mechanism is provided,wl1i ch concentrates the energy of the generator on each one cfa-the accumulators ofthe series u successively and for. a predetermined fixedv of the accumulaf tors are chargedequally.l Referring to this mechanism specifically, the contacts b b are arranged in two rings, one above the other, l and said contacts are connected up-and with theaccumulators described in connection with Fig. 1 or in any other suitable manner to attain the result desired. A vertical shaft c is mounted 'centrally' within these rings. This shaft is preferably formed of insulating material and carries the two contacts 3 and 4, in 'this linstance formed as spring-brushes. engaging the inner edges of their respective. contacts b b', sothat'as said shaft revolves the said contacts will move along the inner edges of said stationary contact and will jump from one to the other. -This'shaft is provided with two metallic rings or disks 11 The disk v12 is electrically connected by wire; 15 with period of time, so that all and 12, insulated from each other.

' the contact or brush 4.

The ring l1 is electrically connected with ,the'brush 3 by the wire 16.

The positive ole of the'batteryis connected by wire 5 wi h a brush 14, always in elec- A suitable clock mechanism, such as h,

tact with each pair of blocks l) h a denite brushes take forty minutes to pass the entire concentrating the energy of-thegeneratoron eachl accumulator for forty minutes.

.The generator or source of electric venergy 2 can be composed of one or more single generators. are employed, they can be coupled together lcase- -for instance, in series or multiple.

It is evident thatvarious changes might parting from the spirit 'and scope ot' my: invention. self to the exact construction herein set forth, but *consider I myselfentitled .to all such my invention.

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters PatentLis-f tacts, setsof'accumulators,direct electric consaid sets of accumula-tors, direct electric conthe electrically-opposite contact of an adjoinwithin the rings and provided with two insuwith the inner edges of the contacts of the two rings, respectively, a source of electrical energy of which said brushes form the OPPO.- site terminals, and driving means shifting the each pair of contacts at regular intervals so succession, substantially as described'.

arated blocks forming a ring, setsof accumulators, each pair .of blocks connected to form tors, a rotary insulated shaft" arranged' concentrically within the opencenter.. of the ring formed of the blocks', driving means for rOd nected by wire 6 with abrush 13, always in the particular metallic block b and the ac-l be made in the forms, arrangements, and' constructions of parts described without de nections between each contact of a pair'with ing pair, an insulated member concentrically the electrical terminalso'f aset; of accumula-y Thus as the shaft revolves the circuit is can be geared to the shaft to rotate the same, so that the brushes 3-and 4 remain in conf.

period of time, say -forty minutesthat is, the

8 5 length of each pair of metallic blocks', thereby If, severalindividual generators omeetvthe requirements of the'particular Hence I do not wish to limit my- Y loo changesas fall within the spirit and scope of Having thus fully-'described my invention,

1, In an electric accumulator systenn,'tl1e-y v combination .of two concentric rings of insulated` contacts forming pairs of opposite con;`

lated brushes sliding in electrical engagement :zicl

electrical. contact between the'brushes and i that vthe current of the generator is concenv trated on each set of accumulators in regular' I Io: I nections between the. contacts of one ring and 2. In an electric accumulator system, the combination of pairs of segmentalshaped septating said shaft in one direction, two insulatedspring-brnshes secured to andcarried 'by the shaft with ltheir outer ends sliding in electrical engagement with the inner edges of the corresponding blocks of each pair, respectively, and arranged to snapfrom block to block, and a source of electrical energy of which saidibrushesform the opposite termi'- nals, substantially as described.

-3. In an electric accumulator system, the combination ofaccumulators divided into like sets, a series of adjacent pairs of insulated electric contacts, direct electric connectingwires from the"opposite Vpoles of each set of accumulators to the corresponding contacts combination of a series of sets of accumula- -tors, a series of pairs of electric contacts corresponding to the sets of accumulatore and cach pair forming the opposite terminals of a set of accumulator-s, saidpairs of contacts arranged in a circle or forming a ringwith the curved separated inner edges arranged in two circles or rings, a rotary shaft concentricaliy within said ring, the two insulated brushes carried by and extending radially from said shaft with the free ends sliding around on the inner edges of saidtwo circles of contact edges, respectively, a source of electrical energy, and connectios therefrom to said brushcs,. respectively, and a motor coupled to said shaft` so that the source is thrown into circuit with each set of accumulatorsA for a like period, substantially as described.

5. 'In combination, a series of pairs of-contact-blocks,the contacts of each pair insulated from each other and arranged beside and parallel with each other and having the concaved inner contact edges of approximately the same length, the pairs of contacts of the series sep-` arated from each other and forming two rings of blocks, the blocks electricallyconnected to form opposite terminals, a rotary member concentrically within the rings and provided with the pair of approximately parallel springbrushes, secured to and extending from the body with their free ends and sliding along said inner .edges of the two rings of blocks, respectively,a source of electrical energyhaving connections to said brushes, and a motor coupled to said body to rotate the same, substantially as described.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HARRY BARRINGER COX. Witnesses:

O. E. DUFFY,

L. L. JOHNSON. 

